MANGA REVIEW | "Chi's Sweet Adventures" - Volume One
When it comes to cats in anime and manga, no one out-cutes the rest of the pack quite like Chi. Originally featured in Konami Kanata's Chi's Sweet Home, the tales of Japan's most famous American Shorthair feline were often filled with the sort of adorability and humor that both kids and adults can enjoy. Although Kanata no longer writes about the little furball, she has passed the baton so to say to another writer by the name of Kinoko Natsume. Despite the change in hands, the new series Chi's Sweet Adventures still has the tabby's trademark charm.
Taking place during the same time as the Amazon Prime anime series, Chi's Sweet Adventures once again has the cat embarking on new experiences with the Yamada family. Discovering the pleasures of Halloween, new foods, and playthings, Chi at first takes things with a hint of skepticism before embracing the unfamiliar. With the aid of her tabby pal Blackie, Chi also learns about the art of self-defense and the perks of park life in the evening. Of course, all of these adventures are taken with a joyful smile and a happy meow!
What makes Chi such an irresistible character is her presentation as a whole. She's a troublemaker and an excitable pet, one that can't help but dive into a new encounter with the highest peaks of curiosity. Sometimes the outcomes will be in her favor, such as when she goes camping or tries cheese for the first time. Other times, the curiosity blows up hilariously in her face, such as when the family watches over a neighbor's pesky parakeet or gets stuck on some Christmas lights. But rarely is Chi presented in any danger, with the kitten bouncing back from bad experiences and itching to jump back into things.
Thanks to its warm tone and relaxing pace, Chi's Sweet Adventures' first volume is one that will both entertain and keep at ease its readers young & old. Filled with moments both stilly and endearing, Chi's return to the manga realm is a welcoming one from both ends: one from the cat herself, and the other from her fans awaiting her return. While it may take some time to see how these new experiences unfold, Chi's Sweet Adventures is shaping to be a wonderful follow-up to her Sweet Home origins.
FINAL GRADE:
Promotional consideration provided by Tomo Tran of Vertical Comics
